Marooned
by Miriamimus
Summary: Sixth Year. War is raged in the Gryffindor Girls dormitory. As the friendship between Lavender and Hermione weakens because of Ron, how can Parvati help? And surely, the homeknit maroon jumper couldn't make matters worse, could it? 6Shot, please R
1. Promises

AN: Told from the alternating points of view of the three Gryffindor girls in Harry's year. Anyone who has read Lavender Scent, behold, Peggy!!! Ahem. Written because I was suffering from writer's block on all other fronts. This will most probably be a SixShot. Reviews make me dance.

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_**P **R **O **M **I **S **E **S_

_Lavender Brown 1st September 1995_

I hid the letters quickly under my pillow as Parvati came over.

"Lavender!" she said throwing her arms around me. "You left the feast quickly."

I shrugged and broke free. And leant back on my elbows. She had already seen them though, dived for my pillow. "What love notes are you hiding from me?"

"I'm not," I said, but I felt my cheeks redden and once again wished I shared Parvati's complexion rather than her taste in clothes.

"Who are they from?" she said ducking again. I threw myself back on the pillow.

"I'm not telling you." I stuck out my tongue. There were footsteps at the door. I lifted my head. "Hermione!" I squealed. "Come and give me a hug." She came over as well.

"Hey," she said hugging both of us. "How're you both?"

"Good good," I answered. "You?"

"'Sall good." she said.

"Lavender has love letters under her pillow!" said Parvati diving for them again. I threw myself down.

"They're not love letters!" I said.

"Then why are they under your pillow?" Hermione looked amused. "Who're they from? Seamus?"

"No!" I said.

"Dean?" ventured Parvati.

"He's going out with Ginny."

"So they ARE love letters."

"No, they're not. They're just from a friend."

"Then you won't mind us reading them." said Parvati.

"Parvati leave her alone. She can show them to us some other time," said Hermione, ever the nice one. She kicked off her shoes and curled up at the end of my bed. My bed was always the one where we gathered for some reason. It just was. Perhaps because Hermione's was always covered in books and Parvati's was always too perfectly made to ruin. Mine, mine was just right I guess.

Parvati lay across my stomach and let her long black hair trailing on the ground.

"It's good to be back," she sighed. "Even if it's wet and cold and my tan will disappear in about a week."

Hermione laughed. "It's good to be back. And be able to use magic."

"I don't think anyone can be as glad as I am," I said. "Parvati, you had Padma with you, and Hermione you-you were with Ron and Harry, me, I was all by my lonesome with the folks."

"Fair enough." said Padma. "But you had your love letters to keep you going."

I pushed her off and sat up, crossing my legs and arms and looking away.

"Let's not get into a fight over this," said Hermione sitting up as well. "Although I would like to know who they're from." she said.

"Am I ever going to get a moment's peace?" I groaned.

"No." said Parvati happily. "Never."

"Alright." I took the letters out and waved them. "See? No Xs, no Os, not kisses, no love. They're from Ron, alright?"

Hermione paled almost imperceptibly and I suddenly wished I hadn't said it.

"They're only letters," I said defensively. "Nothing more."

"He didn't seem to be writing many letters," said Hermione quietly.

"Well, I don't know, there's not many of them," I reassured her.

"Why are you hiding them under your pillow?" Parvati smirked.

"He just gave me some advice," I lied. I couldn't let on to Hermione that I was over my crush on Harry, only to move on to someone worse, in her opinion.

"You asked _Ron_ for advice?" she said disbelievingly. I nodded.

"Yeah." I say. "Just silly stuff. Holiday romance, I wanted to sound like I knew about guy stuff, asked Ron about it."

"You didn't tell me that," said Parvati. I could have strangled her, she was being so annoying. I gave her a One-More-Word-And-You're-Dead look. Dagger eyes have always been a bit of a speciality of mine. She sobered up immediately.

I lay back down. Parvati followed my lead and lowered herself again. Cautiously Hermione stretched out at the end and hung one arm over the side of my bed, running her fingers through Parvati's silky hair.

"How were your OWL results?" she asked.

"I got 'Os' in Divination, Care for Magical Creatures and Charms," I said. "I bet you got eleven."

"Ten," she said. "An 'E' in Defence."

"Well done," said Parvati sincerely. "I only got one 'O', in Divination. But I'm happy."

Hermione sighed and rolled over. "Do you reckon this year will be a tough one?" she asked.

None of us could answer. Hermione was an only child, there was only the twins in the Patil family and my sister Rosa was only nine.

We lay there, each deep in our own thoughts. I picked up Peggy, my rag doll and our confidante, comforter and very good friend. I tossed her to Parvati and said, in our old tradition:

"Any vows for this term?" Parvati smiled, remembering how she made the first vow in first year, that by Christmas she'd be able to use her wand to create the perfect French plait.

"I vow that I won't forget your birthday Hermione," she said.

Hermione laughed, took the red doll and was quiet for a moment. "I vow that I'll take control of my life."

"I vow that I won't let a boy get the better of me," said Parvati, squeezing Peggy's little cloth hand.

"I vow as well," Hermione said softly.

They both looked up at me. "Come on Lavender." said Parvati,throwing my doll back. "You have to say something."

I chewed the inside of my cheek a little and looked up at the canopy of my bed, twisting Peggy's pigtail.

"I vow... I vow that I won't fall out with you two."

But sometimes, promises are hard to keep.


	2. Whispers

AN: I know when Katie is hurt, Hermione asks Leanne's name. I just needed a Seventh Year and Katie is in hospital at the time. So let's just say...um, she couldn't recognise Leanne that day when Katie was hurt. Or maybe she's proved herself between then and this scene. I don't know...**_

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_**W **H **I **S **P **E **R **S_

_Hermione Granger 18th November 1995_

How could she do this to me?

That's all that went through my mind when I first saw them.

She knew I liked him. She knew.

Not that it made any difference by the look of things. Why had I said that to him? was the second thought. Perhaps if I had been nicer to him he wouldn't have... But no. I shouldn't be apologizing. I hadn't said anything wrong. It was him that should be apologizing. Both of them.

When they barged in on me and Harry (not that we were doing anything, because of course I'm not as bad as her, I would never do that to all the girls that like him) I couldn't help myself. I cried. Once she was out of his line of sight, she was suddenly serious.

"Hermione, I-"

"Shut up!" I shrieked. "Don't talk to me!"

She tried to put her hand on my shoulder but I pushed it off and went straight to dorm. Parvati was there, in her pink silk pyjamas un-plaiting her hair. She usually stayed up at the parties, but perhaps today she realised she needed to play her role as peacekeeper. But really, she was on Lavender's side I thought, thinking of all the times she's stood up against me.

She attempted a smile. I threw myself on my bed and pulled the curtains shut. I heard her padding over quietly. Below her feet the party continued.

"Hermione?" she said softly. I didn't answer. "Hermione, I know you liked him." she said.

She knew. Of course she knew. She knew the whole flipping story.

Hadn't I confided in her? In both of them? And yet, they had been keeping secrets behind my back. It had always been that way. Oh, they had tried I'm sure. They had tried and given up again and again.

They never really cared much.

That was why I tried to cry myself to sleep. But later I heard Lavender come in and giggle a little. Like me, she waited to hear the creak of bedsprings, the telltale sign that Parvati was getting up to greet her. But all there was was the rhythmic breathing of someone fast asleep.

"Hermione?" she whispered. "Hermione, can I please talk to you?"

I didn't answer, but unlike Parvati, my breathing was strangled by sobs.

I saw her put a hand on the curtains. "Hermione I know-"

I pulled the curtains back. "I know you know!" I snapped at her. "You knew full well I liked him, you knew that! Why couldn't you, just for once, for once, Lavender, couldn't you do the right thing?"

Her dark blue eyes were glazed slightly. "I couldn't Hermione. I thought and thought about it. Do you know how worried I've been about upsetting you? Upsetting Seamus? Getting thrown off by Ron."

"Oh of course, because he's obviously going to refuse the prettiest, most popular girl in the school."

"Don't give me that," she snarled. "You know it's nothing like that."

"Isn't it? Then why is he all over you then?"

"Maybe he liked me for me!" she shouted at me. "Maybe you're not the only one here he's capable of liking!"

"And you couldn't let it rest," I said, my words dripping with poison. "You couldn't face the fact that he preferred me. No one could ever prefer plain, annoying Hermione Granger to the great Lavender Brown."

"It's not like that!" she screamed. "You're supposed to be my friend Hermione! Can't you be happy just for once?"

"You're supposed to be my friend!" I shouted back. "How could you betray me?"

She was speechless. I felt like smirking. Then, with a sob she threw herself on her bed. "I hate you!" she shrieked, and began to cry.

I didn't believe Parvati had slept through this. I had a feeling she was lying awake, listening.

I heard footsteps at the door. "Hermione?" It was Leanne. She could obviously hear us from upstairs. "Lavender?" Neither of us replied, but at that moment a sob racked my body. I was lying face down on my bed. She took soft steps over and rubbed my back gently. "Lavender?" she asked, to the figure I could see from through my eyelashes. "Is everything alright?" She sat on my bed and exhaled. "Parvati?" she said. "You can't be asleep if I was woken up."

My bed creaked as she walked over to Parvati's bed. I could hear them whispering. I couldn't hear what they said, but at the end Parvati was saying "Yeah, yeah."

I saw Leanne nod and walk out of the room. Her feet sounded on the stairs. A few moments later, the boy's staircase creaked. She was going up.

After a while, Lavender's crying stopped. I suppose mine had stopped as well. She gave a very gentle, very ladylike snore. As if on cue, Parvati came over to me and crouched by my head.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Where's Leanne gone?" I said.

"It was her idea. She's gone to talk to Ron." I wiped my eyes. "What? What's she going to say?"

"I don't know," said Parvati. "But it's Lee. She'll be clever about it." I nodded. Leanne had always been the tactful one.

"I guess you're right," I said.

She gave me a weak smile, her teeth glinting in the dark.

"Try to get some sleep, hmm? You'll feel much better in the morning."

"When you'll be off comforting Lavender."

"I don't think she'll need much comforting," Parvati said. "In fact I have a feeling she'll be happy." I groaned and buried my face in my pillow.

"Look, I can't apologise for her." Parvati said. "That's up to her. But just so you know, I'm not on her side anymore than I'm on your side. I'm neutral, okay?"

"Okay."

"Sweet dreams," she said and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"You too," I whispered. "And, Parvati?"

"Yeah?" she said from her bed.

"Thanks." I shut my eyes, hoping that when I opened them it would be this morning and I could stop this all from happening.


	3. Sooner Or Later

AN: Oh, isn't it fun to use Parvati as a narrator? Seriously, I am so doing that again sometime.

Oh, and by the way, those of you who thought Tonks was dead, think again! I swear I saw her. Heart shaped pale face and bright pink hair? Yup. She's working as a hairdresser here. She's in hiding... Fine, don't believe me then! But I did see it, I promise you...

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S O **O **N **E **R **O **R ** L **A **T **E **R**

_Parvati Patil: 6th January 1996_

Being a best friend is something I've always been good at. I was always Padma's best friend. And then Lavender. We just clicked. She liked the same music as I did, the same clothes as I did. Not that we deliberately left Hermione out. How many times we had asked her if she wanted to come to Hogsmeade with us, we didn't know, she just preferred the company of the boys. Which we were fine with. We got along really well.

When Lavender said she liked Ron though, I knew there was going to be trouble. How could there not be? Hermione was one of her best friends after all. I was sure there had been a lot of other girls had liked him, but they could all see what was going on between them. The quiet looks across the classroom when they thought the other wasn't watching. The careful nudges, the protection they gave each other. Even after her first potion class, when Lavender and I had been talking she had admitted that she could smell Ron's hair off the Amortentia. Lavender was quiet for the rest of the night. 'Course I understood that. Despite everything that happened afterwards, I think Hermione knew that her friend still had a heart of gold.

Whatever Leanne had said to Ron that night, it was weird that it hadn't worked. Usually her words were like what Alicia's used to be, soft and careful and caring and very, very persuasive. She had asked him I think, to make up with Hermione. But it didn't seem to have worked.

It was the night of Slughorn's party. I had agreed with Hermione to play out the conversation about her going with McLaggen in front of Ron and Lavender and it seemed to have the right effect. Lavender was shocked.

Look, didn't I just say that Lavender was my best friend? I didn't want to hurt her or shock her, not at all, but at least this once, I thought I could choose Hermione over her.

So Christmas, I'm not going to go into all of that. Padma and I went home and had a grand old time, and Mum invited about fifty of our cousins around. But that's not what I'm here to talk about, right?

We got back and Lavender was in bits. She had forgotten Ron's present and had had to give him that awful necklace I still remember. I snatched Peggy off of Hermione's bed (I couldn't remember putting her there) and gave her to Lavender.

She came back from seeing Ron in a considerably better mood. Hermione was off talking to Harry in the corner of the common room. (I was surprised really that she hadn't got in there, she had a better chance than anyone in the school and yet she didn't. There's Hermione for you, always doing the right thing). Apparently Ron had forgotten her present too. For once it appeared that she had actually spent the majority of their time together talking. In a moment she was bounding back down the stairs again, with a book in her hand. I followed, slightly interested in what was going to happen. Ron was standing at the foot of the boy's staircase, holding something woollen and a vulgar shade of purple. Lavender smiled and I looked away as she gave him a thank-you kiss. He made his way back upstairs as Harry and Hermione got up. Hermione was still giving him the cold shoulder.

I sat to talk to Seamus, who like me had been hounded by mysterious cousins over Christmas. Lavender had pulled the jumper (with a big "R" knitted into it) over her top and was curled up in an armchair next to the fire with the book. I saw Seamus' gaze wander over to her and fought the urge to laugh. Seamus was still besotted with her, it was so obvious. She really did look charming there. The jumper was far too big, she almost drowned in it and light coloured tendrils of hair curled around the top. At one point in the conversation, he trailed off completely. I smacked his head. "Finny," I said. "Welcome to the real world. You had your chance. She's with Ron now."

"I know, but-"

A movement at the foot of our staircase caught my eye. It was Hermione, coming to pick her hat and gloves up off the table. She caught sight of Lavender. As if by a Sixth Sense, Lavender looked up and met her eye. Even if no one else saw it, I saw the beginnings of a tentative smile. A thought shot through my mind, an image, Peggy, lying on Hermione's bed.

But I had moved her. Lavender had tried to say sorry, and I had wrecked it.

I could see all this, but all Hermione could see was Lavender wearing a hand-knit maroon jumper that was far too big with an "R" knitted into it. All Hermione could see was blatant proof that Lavender refused to loosen her grip on Ron.

In a moment Hermione sprinted back up the stairs. I went to go and take her hat and gloves up to her and explain, but I saw Lavender put her head in her hands. I went over to her.

"I made a resolution," she explained. "That I'd make up with Hermione no matter what."

"Lavender, I'm so sorry. I moved Peggy." I said. "I'll go up and explain."

"No," she grabbed my wrist. Her hands were cold. "Even if she had seen it, do you really think it would have made a difference?"

"I think so."

Lavender wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Parvati what do I have to do to make it right again? I can't give him up. Not yet."

She knew, I thought. She knows that sooner or later she's going to have to do it. Sooner or later she's going to have to give up.

I gave her a look of pure pity. I could see what was happening. Lavender was having whatever time she could have before she had to give Ron up to Hermione. She knew that he could never fully be hers. In that moment I suddenly understood what had caused the rift Harry and I were unable to mend. Lavender's weird mix of selfishness and bravery was forcing her to lose one of her closest friends, because she couldn't see another way. Whatever infatuation with Ron she had had half-blinded her, but somewhere she knew that time was running out.

I smiled sadly and said softly "Nothing's going to be right until you decide to make things right."

I freed my wrist and climbed the stairs, leaving Lavender staring into space and seeing what, sooner or later, she would have to do.


	4. Triangles

AN: So, I know, two Parvati chapters in a row. But this was fun to write! I wanted to emphasize the similarities between her and Harry's positions, and then somehow Dean and Neville got caught up in it, and then all these triangles popped into my head (nice, easy triangles with no cos, sin, or tan or even Pythagoras) and I couldn't resist! As for tetradecahedron (had to look up spelling), I was watching Doctor Who last night and David Tennant was like "The Globe Theatre! Well, actually not a globe, a tetradecahedron, fourteen sides." and how could I resist!

Also, I DID MY RESEARCH, 1996 was a leap year too! Well, anyone could work that one out I suppose, considering it was twelve years ago... oh shush, all you maths people...

So... yeah... after that little rambling, here it is!**_

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_**T **R **I **A **N **G **L **E **S**_

_Parvati Patil, 1st March 1996_

It carried on like that, right through the term.

The twenty-ninth of February I couldn' take it anymore. Nearly two months since Lavender had worn the jumper and things hadn't changed. What annoyed me the most was that they were both trying to annoy the other without speaking to them.

You have to understand, Lavender is like a house-elf. She loves to have things tidy. Hermione, she's sympathetic to house-elves so she cleans her stuff, and she's so organised anyway. Me, I hate mess. Our dorm is usually really tidy, because otherwise it will cause problems. Which is exactly why Hermione began leaving her books everywhere, Lavender threw clothes all over her floor and she always wore the jumper. In the end, on that one date I had never spent in Hogwarts before I was so annoyed I got up and went downstairs. Harry was sitting staring into the fire. I smiled and collapsed on the sofa next to him with a sigh.

"It's a battlefield up there," I said looking into the fire.

He looked up from his essay. "That bad?"

"Hermione's reading aloud as she finishes off her Herbology and Lavender's asking how much cleavage she should show for Ron's birthday." I put my head on his shoulder. "Save me Harry." I said.

He actually laughed at that. "I thought you were the peacemaker."

"So did I. I'm having a day off." I looked at him. "Trust me, so would you."

"I am." he said. "They're both upstairs and I'm down here."

"That's true." I said and frowned. "How much longer before one of them cracks do you think?"

"Don't know," he said.

"Are things as bad with Seamus as they are with Hermione?" I asked. Harry paused for a moment.

Dean flopped into the chair beside us. "Yup," he said. "I'm surprised he hasn't hit Ron yet. Neville's up there now keeping the peace."

I sat up and folded my arms. "It can't go on like this. We have to do something. Sooner or later." I said, thinking of my words to Lavender the first night of term.

"Try being in my potions class," said Harry. "Any idea what lengths Ernie and I have to go to to stop Hermione thrashing out?"

"Try being in my dorm," I groaned. "Can I sleep on your floor tonight?"

"Whatever you do, don't mention Ernie trying to help to Neville." Dean said.

"Oh no, Hannah?" I asked. Dean nodded grimly.

"What a massive mess of love triangles we all are." I said. Harry grunted. I looked at him, then flicked my gaze back to Dean. "No way!" I said loudly. They both looked at me.

"What?" asked Dean.

"Ginny," I mouthed to Harry. He paled slightly and gave a tiny nod that could have been mistaken for a twitch.

"No!" I said. "Am I the only one that doesn't have a seriously messed up love life at the moment?"

"Yes." said Harry. I buried my head in his shoulder again. "Don't wake me up until it's all sorted out." I said, then flopped down onto the sofa.

Seamus woke me up there the next morning. "Oy, Parvati!" he said. I opened my eyes groggily.

"You guys actually left me sleeping on the couch?" I said. "I hate you."

I caught my reflection in the window pane. "Ugh, I'm a mess. Get some toast for me will you? I'm off to have a long hot bath."

"Sure," said Dean.

Seamus winked at me. "Marmalade?" he asked.

I stood up. "Seamus Finnegan. You have known me for six bloody years and you're asking if I want marmalade?"

"I'll take that as a no." he said. I rolled my eyes and scampered off to grab my towel and some clean clothes.

I spent a long time in the Prefect's bathroom (Padma had given me the password and Merlin, was it glorious). I don't know how long. I pulled on a clean set of jeans and a top and remembered the date with a groan.

I sneaked out of the bathroom, but even if I had been caught I could have simply pretended to be my sister. I picked up the plate of toast and jam Seamus gave me and went up to dorm. Lavender was sitting there, stony faced.

"I don't know where he is. I saw him walking off with Harry, something about Romilda Vane, and now he's gone."

"Romilda Vane? What does he want with her?"

Lavender shook her head and hugged Peggy tight. "I'm going to go look for him."

Peace and quiet! I thought happily as she left. In that time, I ate my toast, I did some serious tidying, I rearranged my posters, I danced, I braided gold into my hair, all the things I hadn't been able to do lately in case of irritating one or the other of my roommates. I lay down on my pillow and shut my eyes, just for a bit... it felt so good to lie down on a bed...

I was rudely awakened by Lavender at four o'clock in the afternoon. She was sobbing. "He's been poisoned! Ron's been poisoned!"

"Hmm?" I said, checking my pink enamel alarm clock.

"Don't you care?" she snapped. "He could be dead!"

"Then why are you here?"

"They won't let me into the hospital wing, and Harry and Hermione are there with Fred and George."

"Fred and George are here?" I asked, surprised. I had always had a bit of a crush on Fred Weasley.

"Don't you care?" she howled and buried her face in her pillow.

I rolled over and shut my eyes tight. I won't lie, I actually thought to myself, maybe he'll die and I won't have to worry about these two and Dean and Harry don't have to worry about upsetting him and Neville doesn't have to keep Seamus from shredding him to pieces. All these triangles, we were like one big massive tetradecahedron. I fell back into an uneasy sleep. What a way to spend the afternoon.

I stumbled down to dinner then came back and flicked through some Witch Weeklies. At about ten, Hermione came in. Lavender looked up from where she was writing furiously in her diary.

"He's alright," Hermione said.

Lavender got up and hugged her. Both of them were in tears.

"Finally." I said. "Now can you please clean up your areas! I'm sick of this!" I rolled over and faced away from them as they broke into laughs of relief and hid my own smile in my pillow. Triangles are only shapes after all.


	5. Blame

AN: Finally, an update! Sorry if anyone catches the Martha Jones quote from Doctor Who, (you'll know it if you see it), but it isn't exactly an obscure thing to say, and it fitted _exactly_ what I wanted to say, simple and precise.

Oh and this is dedicated to Hannah (darling, you know who you are.) After our _big_ DMC today. Okay, so you probably won't read this for a few weeks, maybe months, but you know what I'm talking about. Because, sweetie, don't worry, I'll never, ever, _ever _blame you. )

Enjoy guys!

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_**B **L **A **M **E**_

_Lavender Brown: 22nd April 1996_

On the first of March, Ron was poisoned.

He was in bed until the following Monday. I went to visit him twice or three times a day, after breakfast, during lunch, before dinner or in the evening, but only until that Thursday. I sat with him for quite long some evenings. He was always asleep when I was there. Sometimes I talked to him, when Madam Pomfrey was in her office. I told him everything that was happening. Hermione and I were on speaking terms, but on no account did it seem we were friends again.

But on Thursday when I walked in she was holding his hand. He was talking to her. They saw me. She dropped his hand immediately. I left. I took to asking Harry instead. He was Ron's best friend after all. But he seemed too preoccupied with his Quidditch match against Hufflepuff to notice, he was always talking to Cormac.

The Quidditch match was played. It wasn't a bad match, Dad and I always supported the Wasps, I always liked a good match. But it was weird seeing Cormac at the hoops instead of Ron. Luna's commentary was hilarious.

Harry was put in the Hospital Wing as well. They were both let out on Monday, and I wasn't surprised to see Hermione and Ron talking again.

What I was surprised about was the fact that Ron was avoiding me. Every time I saw him he had some excuse to disappear, to go do homework, to Quidditch practice, to the library. I offered to come with him, but he always shook me off.

I'm sorry to admit I did't talk to Hermione. I wanted to make up with her, but she could see that she was hurting me. I knew I had hurt her, and this was how she treated me. Two wrongs don't make a right, but still.

The Apparition test was drawing closer. I wasn't as calm as Hermione, as worried as Ron or as uncaring as Parvati. I was somewhere in the middle. I wanted to pass, and I was working hard, but not overly so. I went to the practice sessions in Hogsmeade, and there was an awkward while in the Three Broomsticks where Hermione and I both sat next to Ron.

The day of the test came. I put on a pair of three quarter lengths and a tank top and cardigan, just to be sure I didn't have extra clothing that might be left behind.

I passed, thankfully. Ron didn't. He was devastated, because his brothers would never let him down. I didn't really see the fuss. Although, I suppose, with Fred and George in your family, you'd want to impress your siblings.

We got back to school. Ron was in a severely bad mood and told me to go away. I wasn't really worried, over six years I had seen him lash out at everyone.

It wasn't until later that he upset me.

I couldn't believe it. She wouldn't have, no. But there they were, coming down together from his dorm. Needless to say, I was furious.

"What were you doing up there with her?" I cried at him.

"It's not what it looks like."

"Well then what is it?" I asked. There were tears of anger on my face.

"It's, we, well."

"Don't lie to me Ron, don't you dare lie to me."

"I-"

"Do you think I haven't noticed? The glances, the nudges, avoiding me? For Merlin's sake, I'm not an idiot! I know you liked her. But don't even think that that means I'm going to let you get away with cheating on me!"

"I'm not-"

"Stop Ron! I'm not listening to this! I just, I would never thought it of you."

"It's not what you think."

"Look, Ron, you're obviously far better off with her, I'm not going to deny that. But I thought, that maybe, you would have the decency to let me go first. Guess I was wrong. You're just another stupid boy, like the rest of them Ron Weasley, just another silly, selfish, ignorant, horrible, stupid boy that doesn't even have the guts to break up with his girlfriend before he moves on. Well I'll tell you something, you can't expect me to wait around ever again. You're a pig."

I rushed up the stairs and threw myself on my bed, unable to hold the sobs in. My head ached, my ears hurt, my face and eyes were swollen and my eyes were salty from tears.  
Then I felt a bump under my duvet. I took it out. It was the jumper.

By now it smelt of my perfume more than of him. But somewhere hidden in its folds was something of him, I couldn't point out what. Essence of Ron, as sad as that sounded. I buried my head in it and took one long deep breath in, then I did something that any Gryffindor should have done. I got up, folded it, left it on her bed and let him go. I gave it one long look, my comforter for the past few months. What I had left of him.

And like that, with that long lingering glance, I let him go. She could have him. I grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote "_This is to say I don't blame you_."

I pinned it to the jumper. Then I crawled into my pyjamas and into bed and slept peacefully, not having the moment when he would choose her hanging over my head. I woke up and rolled over groggily. I was the only one left asleep. The others were up and had gone to breakfast. I sat up.

Something flapped above my head. It was a note, pinned to my headboard with the same pink headed cloth pin I used on the jumper. I felt something heavy on my feet, lifting it to see a huge bar of Honeyduke's finest.

"_And for the record,"_ the note read. "_I don't blame you either_."


	6. Always

AN: well, voila le chapter dernier! I enjoyed writing this, I hope you liked reading it! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

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_**A **L **W **A **Y **S_

_Hermione Granger: 19th June 1996_

I realised that this could be the last time I would be in this room. I wiped away a quick tear.

I took down my posters, unpacked my drawers and fitted everything back into my trunk. I looked out the window. Down below, people were still flitting about, chairs were being packed away. My heart flipped over as I caught sight of the new landmark, the white marble tomb sitting on the lakeside.

From so near the top of Gryffindor Tower, I could see the grounds. If I craned my neck around, I could see nearly the whole school.

Suddenly a thought hit me. I took my wand and whispered. It was worth a shot.

"Accio books on horcruxes." I said, not expecting anything to happen. And then, suddenly slim dark rectangles flew through the window. I grabbed them, only catching a glimpse of gruesome titles before putting them into my trunk. I could hear steps on the stairs.

I had said goodbye to Parvati days before, the morning after the battle. Lavender had been upset, and I was too, somehow I knew I wasn't coming back. Parvati didn't notice, she was upset about missing the funeral, and the prospect that she might not be coming back next year.

Lavender appeared in the doorway. Her face was glazed with tears. She wiped one eye and ran a hand through her hair then began unbuttoning her dress robes.

"Too hot for these things today anyway," she said, grabbing the last floral white skirt sitting on her bed and fastening it around her hips. "It'll be good to be home won't it?" she said.

I gave a weak smile, knowing she was trying to be strong, but she knew as well as I did nothing was the same.

I pulled on the cut-offs I had left out for myself and pushed my head through a tank top, folded my dress robes and put them and my shoes into the trunk. I shut it tight.

"That's it then." I said with a sigh. "All of it's in there."

Lavender sat at the end of her bed and looked at me. Her eyes shone bluer than ever surrounded by red.

"You're not coming back are you?" she said. "I can tell."

I bit my lip, paused, then shook my head. "I'm sorry Lavender. But Harry needs us and I promised a long time ago that I would stick by him."

"I thought as much." she said and stood up. "Don't be sorry. You're doing the right thing. As usual." She busied herself at her trunk and looked over her shoulder at me. "They're lucky they have you."

"I'm going to miss it here." I said, looking around the room. It seemed so bare, with everything gone.

"You'll be back." said Lavender. "You have to finish school."

I laughed at that one. "I suppose you're right." She turned back to her trunk, packing everything down flat. I turned back to my own and slowly I undid the locks. I took out the soft woollen package at the top.

"Here." I said tossing it to her. "I want you to have this."

She caught it and looked at it. "No. I gave it to you." she said throwing it back.

"And I'm returning it. He gave it to you, not to me." I tossed it over.

"But I gave it to you." she said getting ready to throw it.

"If you attempt to give it back one more time I'll hex you." I threatened. "Just take it. Besides, if I'm going to be sharing a tent with him in the foreseeable future he might ask where I got it from."

She couldn't argue with that. "Then... thanks."

She pushed it into her trunk and slammed the lid down. She stood there for a moment then said "I'll miss you Hermione." She turned around. There were fresh tears making tracks in her make-up.

I stepped forward and hugged her. I could feel fresh tears in my own eyes too.

"What if it's just me?" she sobbed. "If you and Parvati are both gone, oh Hermione you can't leave."

"Well I can't exactly leave the boys to fend for themselves can I?" I said with my best attempt at sarcasm. "They'd be killed in the first five minutes."

"You're coming back. You're not leaving us behind." she said.

"Of course I'm not." I answered and broke free. "Come on. The coaches will be leaving soon."

Lavender was in a different compartment on the way home. I sat with Harry and Ron. Neither of them spoke. Harry stared out the window, Ron kept switching his gaze, from me, to Harry, to the window to the door. Half an hour into the journey, he very timidly took my hand. I squeezed it and we both looked at Harry.

"The wedding's on the first," said Ron. "We'll leave after that."

Harry didn't answer. We gave up. In the end I nodded off on Ron's shoulder.

We got to King's Cross and I ran to Mum and Dad. "It's so good to see you!" I cried. They hugged me tight and went over to talk to Mr and Mrs Weasley. I hugged Ron and Harry and whispered "I'll see you soon." Ron kissed the top of my hair.

I turned around to see Lavender standing with her parents, her little sister Rosa clinging to her. She turned to me and smiled. I gave her a hug. She laughed over my shoulder at what must have been a puzzled expression on Ron's face.

"If you ever need me I'm here," she whispered to me.

"Me too. Always."

"Always." she repeated. We broke apart.

"You better write," she said with a wink, knowing full well I wouldn't be able to.

"You'd better reply." I answered. She grinned.

"I'll see you soon."

As I turned my back I heard her mother ask "Who was that dear? And where's Parvati?" I kept walking and afforded the boys one more hug before going home, ready for a warm bath and a long sleep.

_I saw the wolf bound to the body and in a moment I recognised it. "No!" I shouted and threw him back, but I could already see her shattered right side. Up above, Sybil Trelawney finished off the attacker of her favourite student. For a moment I was frozen there, and could just see Lavender still moving. She was alive.  
"Always," I whispered, and moved away as the Acromantulas made their way in._


End file.
